


The End of the Schism

by Ace_Jade



Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Xillia
Genre: Fix Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25919434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ace_Jade/pseuds/Ace_Jade
Summary: This work is a reimagining of the lategame plot of Tales of Xilla, specifically Milla's side, containing massive spoilers for the game. The game suffered from rushed development, among other things apparently forcing the developers to cut Gaius as a playable party member, and having an incredibly rushed final arc in Elympios that awkwardly threw Gaius into the role of final boss instead of properly resolving the whole Elympios invasion/Otherworld Reactor Project arc. This fanfic aims to fix these issues, with the Elympios military instead filling the role of the final villain. It will not be canon compliant with Xillia 2. It starts its divergence at the end of Milla's Spirit World arc.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Muzet

"So you lied to me? Or perhaps you changed your minds?" spoke the spirit apparently named Muzet, standing up as Milla and the Four approached Nia Khera shrine. The place felt incredibly familiar to Milla – she was sure she'd been here before, but she just could not remember the details. 

But there were more important things to worry about – the murderer who'd massacred so many of the spirits of Nia Khera was standing right in front of her, continuing to monologue. "But I do have one question for you," she asked, turning to address Milla. "Can you really trust these spirits?"

Milla hesitated. She still couldn't fully remember them, but could she trust them? She searched her heart – and she knew immediately, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the answer was yes. But before she could reply, Muzet continued. "If you don't know the answer, then allow me to provide it for you. Just as I have a mission, so too did you. At least when you were still Milla."

Undine replied, sounding... heartbroken? Concerned? Anxious? Perhaps it was all of the above. "Muzet, must you really tell her this?"

 _Tell me what?_ Milla wondered.

Muzet reply carried a tone of scornful mockery – the more she spoke, the more Milla felt sure she'd met this person before, but where? "My my, you willingly participated, and yet now you wish to pretend it never happened?" The passive aggressive way she said everything was so familiar.

"N-no one said that..." muttered Gnome, sounding uncharacteristically distraught, instead of his usually cheerful self.

"My primary mission was the eradication of Exodus," declared Muzet. Exodus? That name sent such a surge of hatred through Milla, she knew she'd definitely heard the name somewhere before. Perhaps it was worth listening to this murderer's monologue after all, it might jog some memories. "And as for Milla... She was Lord Maxwell's bait to lure Exodus out into the open. He realized that Exodus had designs to take his life. So he made you believe you were Maxwell in the flesh. And right on cue, Exodus threw all its resources into killing you. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"That's enough already!" replied Sylph, outraged.

Muzet ignored him. "Your mission, the one you felt so obligated to fulfill as Maxwell... It was a lie. A fabrication, to be accurate. You were never Maxwell." She spoke the last sentence with particular pride, her voice dripping with scorn for Milla. 

Why did this spirit seem to despise Milla so intensely? But the words she spoke... Memory stirred within Milla, surging from the recesses of her consciousness. Yes, she remembered. Her last name, her mission. She was Milla Maxwell, Lord of Spirits, and her mission was to protect her spirits and humanity alike, to protect Reiza Maxia. What was this nonsense about it being a lie?

"And furthermore, the Great Spirits here were under Lord Maxwell's orders," Muzet continued. "They raised you, my sister, with a human vessel forged in the crucible of elements, as Maxwell. They brainwashed you into accepting your mission. Milla... You were abandoned by Maxwell from the very start, and your trusted Four have been using you from the beginning."

Undine nodded in confirmation, voice dripping with guilt. "She speaks the truth. All of us have been lying to you."

Efreet also nodded. "That is why we plucked your soul free just as it was undergoing purification."

Undine continued, "We betrayed our very master, Lord Maxwell himself, for you. Though I suppose that gesture rings hollow now."

A million thoughts raced through Milla's head – she felt memories surging forwards, memories of living in Nia Khera, flashes from her two thousand years worth of memories of Maxwell. Even as she remembered, she wondered – was it really all a lie? It was so much to take in, and she could not even muster a single word as her mind raced. But... Through it all she felt something, something stronger than any memory or words. What was this feeling?

"Indeed it does," mocked Muzet, looking pleased with herself.

Undine turned to Muzet, suddenly looking determined. "But Muzet! Milla wished for us to live on!"

Sylph nodded, also sounding decisive. "She kind of grew on us, you know. Betraying her again puts a bad taste in my mouth."

Efreet joined the chorus, voice filled with determination. "We refuse your offer of reincarnation. We are staying right here."

Milla suddenly understood. Love. Love was what she was feeling. Love for her family, her true family, the Four.

Muzet's face changed rapidly, closing her eyes. "What?" she asked, voice dripping with shock. Then she opened her eyes, grabbed her head with her hands, then began shaking it, face looking crazed. "I HAVE A MISSION! Without it, my life has no meaning! I must complete it! I cannot allow you to live!"

There would be time to process her emotions and memories later, as Muzet leapt to attack.

* * *

It had been a fierce battle, one that had pushed Milla and the Four to their limits, but they had won. Muzet lay on the ground, panting with exhaustion and severely injured. "Ugh... Why? Why do you disobey your master?"

Gnome was the one to reply. "Cause I want Milla back with us. She cared about me, so I care about her! Simple!" 

Undine spoke next. "We do not know if Milla will regain her memory. Most likely, she never will. But even so, she is still Milla!"

Efreet also spoke in agreement. "It is not the past we spent together that truly matters. We have realized that much."

Muzet still seemed to be desperately trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. "In other words, the most important thing to you is not the past, but rather -"

Sylph interrupted. "Stop right there! Sheesh, you were about the say the oldest cliche in the book."

"We don't wanna die just cause we know too much!" declared Gnome.

"Then why didn't you run?" asked Muzet, still incomprehending.

"Funny thing," explained Gnome. "We were fine with dying if it was for her."

"We shall decide what we do from now on," declared Efreet.

"We shall follow our own hearts when choosing whether to obey or disobey our Master's orders," agreed Undine.

Sylph turned to Milla. "You think so too, right?" He asked.

Milla nodded, love filling her heart, but Muzet interrupted, standing up. "But memories are gone forever when they're erased! She will never be Milla again!" 

Muzet turned around. "Tell me I speak the truth!" she shouted.

An old man with a long, flowing beard appeared before them. Undine provided an introduction, declaring him to be the specter of Lord Maxwell, and Efreet clarifying that it was just a disconnected fragment of Maxwell's consciousness, charged with purifying the souls of the dead.

"The answer to your question is: Positive." confirmed Maxwell's specter.

She turned around to face them again, eyes wild with malicious glee. "See! Milla is dead!"

Milla finally spoke, her inner turmoil settled down. Not all her memories were back yet, but there was one thing she was certain of. She was Milla Maxwell, and the Four were her family. "No. The answer to your question is: Negative."

"What?" asked Muzet, eyes looking on in shock. "No! You are not Milla! You can't be! She died!"

"No. I am Milla Maxwell," she replied, voice decisive. "My memory is still foggy, but I remember the Four. They are my friends, my family, and that was never a lie, no matter what you say. I will not let you, or this other Maxwell, kill them."

"Milla! You're really back!" cried out Gnome, voice overflowing with joy.

"I can't believe our plan actually worked! I mean... I knew all along it would work!" cried out Sylph, also sounding ecstatic.

Undine smiled with glee. "You're really back! I am so happy to see you again!"

Efreet nodded. "It is good that you have returned. Together, we are invincible. Muzet, you will never break our bond."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I MUST COMPLETE MY MISSION!" She turned aggressively towards them, screaming with rage.

Gnome tried to talk her down. "Please, Muzet, you're on the verge of death! If you keep fighting, you'll die!"

"I must destroy all who know of the Schism!" she charged at them.

With a swipe of her sword, Milla struck her alleged sister once more, slashing through her chest, and Muzet collapsed to the floor.

"Why...?" cried out Muzet, shocked at her defeat. Her body began to dissolve.

"It seems her injuries are too severe," observed Undine. "She will die and undergo reincarnation, losing her memories. We might still be able to save her from that fate, just as we saved Milla, but if we did..."

"She would just attack us again," agreed Milla. "Muzet, why did you do this?

"Why?" screeched Muzet, this time in mocking rage. "I'm the elder sister, it was my mission to destroy Exodus, to destroy spyrix, to protect the Schism. You were just bait! Why were you always surrounded by the Four, why were you happy despite your whole life being a lie, why were you always so much more successful at fighting Exodus, why did you attract so many human followers when you were just a fake! While I had to be alone all my life even though I was Maxwell's chosen Great Spirit to protect Reiza Maxia! Even with your last breath you stopped me from fulfilling my mission! You saved the lives of all those humans who knew about the Schism, and then you didn't even have the decency to die properly! WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!?" she screamed one final time, before dissolving. The specter of Maxwell stepped forward, gathered the fragments of Muzet's disappearing soul, and began purifying her, without a word.

So. That was it. Muzet had been jealous. Jealous and lonely. Milla felt pity in her heart. This "real" Maxwell had much to answer for.

"What now?" asked Gnome. "We're traitors." His face looked downcast.

"Let's return to Nia Khera and rest, and do what we can to help the survivors of Muzet's massacre." decided Milla. "We can decide the rest tomorrow."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

* * *

It was the next morning. The villagers of Nia Khera had given their thanks for saving them from Muzet's campaign of mass murder, and Milla had spent the night processing her thoughts. She remembered who she was now, though her 2000 years of memories of life as Maxwell was especially vague – perhaps because all those memories weren't really hers to begin with, but passed on from this other Maxwell. He was her father, she supposed. But there was still one gaping hole in her recent memories – who was that human boy she met, and those other humans, the ones she remembered dying for? It was possible she wouldn't remember until she saw them again.

"So like Gnome said yesterday, what do we do now?" asked Sylph, commencing the discussion.

"Maxwell will surely be furious," noted Undine.

"Even I have little wish to do battle against our Lord. I am not sure we would survive such an encounter," noted Efreet. "However, what do you want, Milla? You have never struck me as the sort to run and hide in the face of danger."

"We will confront Maxwell," declared Milla, her mind already made up. "I will not let him kill us, or continue this folly. Almost all of Reiza Maxia knows about the Schism now. If he is not stopped, everyone will die, just to keep a secret that can no longer be kept. It is my duty to protect Reiza Maxia, humans and spirits alike."

"Can we really fight our Lord?" asked Gnome, sounding nervous.

Milla nodded. "Whatever happens, I will protect you all, I swear it."

"You really are Milla, through and through... Only you'd be crazy enough to try fighting Maxwell," replied Sylph, smiling. "Well, I know you're too stubborn for me to talk you out of it. I guess I'll just have to follow you so you don't go and die again!"

The others all nodded as well. "Then let us go," declared Undine. "Lord Maxwell is located in the Temporal Crossroads, the path between the human and spirit world. It is not a path easily travelled, but Greater Spirits like the five of us can access it freely. We can enter from the top of Nia Khera Hallowmont, behind the Nia Khera Shrine."

They set off to Nia Khera Hallowmont. But before they could leave the village, a lesser spirit stopped them, voice concerned. "Hey, are you all off to Nia Khera Hallowmont? You should know, I heard rumors some humans are trying to confront Lord Maxwell. I know you're the Four, but you hear so many stories these days of humans killing us with spyrix, I just thought I should warn you. Safe travels, and thanks again for saving us from that monster!"

"Your warning is appreciated," replied Undine graciously, "we will be careful." After they left the lesser spirit's earshot, she turned to Milla. "Humans confronting Lord Maxwell? Do you know anything about these humans, Milla? I remember you attracted some human companions while we were imprisoned. Could they be responsible for this?"

"I still don't remember them very well," replied Milla. "Not even their names. I only remember they were important to me. If it is them, we should hurry."

"If it really is your human companions, they truly learned from your example, to be bold enough to confront Lord Maxwell himself," noted Efreet. "I look forwards to meeting such brave humans. I agree, let us hurry."


	2. Lord of Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Milla Maxwell confronts her father, the Lord of Spirits.

Thanks to Sylph's flight abilities, the climb up Nia Khera Hallowmont had been swift, and they were all now at the summit. Milla could sense the entrance to the Temporal Crossroads in front of them, invisible to the eye but not to her spirit senses.

However, before they could enter, Efreet grunted. "Urgh! My powers are being summoned!"

Sylph also seemed to feel it. "The signal is off the charts. It's Lord Maxwell!"

"But who could he be fighting?" asked Undine. "The humans the villagers mentioned?"

"What do we do?" asked Gnome.

Milla expanded her consciousness, peering through the portal into the Temporal Crossroads.

She saw five humans, lying on the ground, facing an elderly man with a beard – Maxwell. Her father, allegedly.

Her heart pounded upon seeing the humans. She knew them, she was sure of it. One of the humans, a boy, moved to stand up.

"Ridiculous!" shouted Maxwell, voice commanding. "Look at yourself, fool! You can barely even stand up! Do you really think you have the strength to resist me?!"

Who was that boy? _Remember why I chose to die,_ Milla thought to herself.

Maxwell sent a swarm of elemental meteors at the boy, knocking him down again, but he got right back up and charged, despite his body being covered in injuries. "Yes, I do. I know that I do!"

"What did you say?" demanded an enraged Maxwell. "You must die!"

 _Who? Just who are you?_ Milla Maxwell thought to herself. 

"Isn't that right, Milla?!" the boy shouted, as his fists pounded on a magical barrier conjured by Maxwell's artes. It was futile, and even now Maxwell prepared another swarm of elemental meteors to finish the boy off. No matter how determined he was, a human could not defeat a god with his bare hands.

But there was someone who could defeat him. "JUDE!" Milla cried, finally remembering. Remembering everything. She leaped into the Temporal Crosswords without another word, and her sword lanced through Maxwell's barrier, shattering it with ease. Jude's fist promptly landed a blow directly on Maxwell's face, sending him flying.

Milla landed, smiling at Jude, at Alvin, at Elize, at Leia, at Rowen. Her friends.

"I must be dreaming," expressed a disbelieving Alvin. "You look... A lot more green than I remember, but it's really you!"

"Milla!" shouted Elize and her Booster, Teepo, in unison.

"Is this.. Truly happening?" asked Rowen.

"Milla?" echoed Leia. "No way!" She was smiling, her eyes on the verge of tears. Tears of joy, Milla assumed.

Jude got up from where he'd landed after punching Maxwell, and hesitating, spoke. "Milla...?" But Milla only smiled and put a finger on his lips, silencing him. There would be time for a reunion later – Maxwell was getting up.

Milla turned to her alleged father, her tone of voice calm, commanding, but possessing all the fury of one of Undine's tidal waves sweeping aside all in its path. "Is it not Maxwell's mission to protect the future of all of us, both human and spirit?"

Maxwell looked utterly baffled. "But how can this be? Was this the Four's doing? But Muzet was supposed to reincarnate them! Where is she? Why isn't she answering my summons?"

"Uncertain? Uncertainty makes you weak, you know," declared Milla, stepping forwards. This man could call himself the "real" Maxwell all he wanted – he was not worthy of the title. Her own uncertainty was gone. She would not let this old man massacre everyone who knew about the Schism.

The Four, meanwhile, had just combined their powers to cast a healing spell to get the rest of her friends back on their feet, and having finished, appeared behind Milla. "Are you all sure about this?" she asked.

The Four all nodded, though Gnome especially still seemed very nervous.

"We stand with you," declared Efreet.

"HOW DARE YOU?" boomed Maxwell, furious at the betrayal.

Milla's friends, healed, ran up to stand behind her. "Jude! Everyone! Let's go!" shouted Milla, as she charged, her friends following behind. "There is nothing to fear! Not even the 'great' Maxwell!"

"Nothing is impossible when Milla's around!" shouted Jude.

It was a fierce battle. Milla's Elemental Mastery artes clashed again and again with Maxwell's Meteor Swarm artes, cancelling them out. Maxwell kept shifting his elemental magical defenses to counter their attacks, but Milla simply switched which of the Four she summoned to attack. Still, Maxwell was clearly far more powerful than Milla, even now. Milla could tell that alone, or even together with the Four, she would have lost this fight – but she was not alone. Once she'd believed it was her responsibility to bear the weight of the entire world on her own shoulders. But she'd learned to let herself rely on her friends, even if they were the very humans she was supposed to be protecting.

Elize and Jude healed their injuries. Rowen launched spirit arte after spirit arte at Maxwell. Alvin combined gun and sword in relentless attacks, and Leia's skill with a staff was no small factor either – and her support artes improved their attacks and defenses. Against the relentless assault of his own alleged daughter, his own vassal Elemental Spirits, and the combined power of the humans he'd attempted to murder, even the "great" Maxwell was slowly overwhelmed.

Finally, he was so exhausted and weakened that he was becoming unable to repel Milla's attacks, and Milla moved to finish him off. 

"All beginnings... must end! Let it be by my hand! ELEMENTAL MASTERY!" she struck Maxwell full force with the combined power of all four elements, and this time, he was unable to block it. 

He fell to the ground in defeat. Milla waited a moment to see if he got back up, but he did not. The immediate threat had passed.

She turned to her friends, smiling. "Hello."

"Hello," replied Jude.

Elize, Leia, and Teepo promptly tackled Milla with hugs, squealing with joy as they shouted Milla's name.

"I feel blessed to have lived long enough for this reunion. To think that we would meet again!" expressed Rowen, his voice full of emotion, before joining the group hug.

"This feels like a dream. But it's real, isn't it?" muttered Alvin. For a moment he looked like he'd join the hug, but then hesitated, looking at Leia, and stopped. Had something happened between them? Perhaps another betrayal, knowing Alvin.

"Welcome back, Milla," added Jude, though he made no move to join the hug. Milla remembered how she'd overheard Agria and Leia talking about how Jude apparently had a crush on her – perhaps it was too awkward for him? Though for some reason he'd had no issue engaging in direct tethering with Muzette on the same day they met. Humans were still difficult for her to understand at times, but she supposed that would never change.

"I'm glad to see you all too," she said, addressing everyone, as her friends finally let her go. "Thank you."

"It's great to meet Milla's human friends! I'm Gnome, how you all doing?" greeted Gnome.

"I'm Leia, it's nice to meet you Gnome!" smiled Leia. "I can't believe I'm actually talking to the Great Spirit of Earth..."

"Being brave enough to fight a god was certainly courage worthy of respect," declared Efreet. "It is an honor to meet all you brave humans."

"And an honor to meet you," bowed Rowen.

Maxwell finally got up, interrupting the reunion, and they all turned to face him. His face had turned from outrage to a look of utter defeat and exhaustion. "I do not understand... The Four, tell me, what is the meaning of this?"

"I could no longer stand idly by and let you continue with this folly," declared Efreet.

"Right. Exactly, so we decided to help Milla out," agreed Sylph.

"How dare you! I gave no such order!" Maxwell sounded angry, but his sheer exhaustion took the bite out of it.

"Lord Maxwell, all people have hearts and minds, just the same as we do," argued Undine.

"You can't just treat us all like tools, even if it does help save the world in the end!" concluded Gnome.

Milla stepped forwards. "Maxwell. You may have been the one to give me my mission. Nevertheless, it was and is still my own mission." Not one moment of her life had been a lie, whatever Muzet or Maxwell said.

Maxwell looked troubled at these words. "You exerted your own will. And it was a decision that came straight from your own heart..." It seemed their words had gotten through to him.

Jude stepped forwards. "The world you created seems to serve no purpose other than to exist. But... What kind of life was that for its people? I... We all just want to live!"

Everyone looked at Jude aghast for a few moments, all the dramatic tension of the moment seemingly sucked out of everyone.

"What does that even mean?" asked Sylph, finally breaking the silence.

"I am also unsure..." replied Undine. "Humans are so strange."

Alvin sighed. "Jude, your speechcraft needs some work."

Milla smiled at Jude. Humans were so cute. He looked embarassed at the criticism.

"Don't be too hard on him, Alvin. I know from experience that making speeches is hard, and he's still just a boy of 15 in the end," pointed out Rowen.

"Actions do speak louder than words, I suppose..." muttered Efreet. 

Maxwell sighed. "Regardless, I suppose this is why I could not understand your actions. Human hearts truly are such complicated things. Spirit hearts, as well. Perhaps my ignoring that fact is what ultimately led me astray... Very well. I shall dispel the Schism."

"What?" asked Milla, confused by the sudden turn in the conversation. Was that what Jude and Maxwell had been fighting about? Jude wanted to dispel the Schism? What had happened while she was away?

"Are you serious?" asked Alvin, sounding excited. 

"Maintaining the Schism requires a tremendous amount of mana. Dispelling it will disperse this energy into the world. That should protect the world's spirits from being killed by spyrix. At least for a time, anyway. It will grant a reprieve of a few years. Perhaps a few decades, at best."

"Thank you, Maxwell," smiled Jude, oblivious to Milla's confusion.

"Hold a moment, Jude," objected Milla. "I know I tried to dispel the Schism with my death, but that was an emergency. Have you thought through the consequences of this?"

"Yes," noted Rowen. "Now that Maxwell has agreed to dispel the Schism, it would be a good idea to figure out a plan for dealing with the aftermath before we proceed."

Jude, naive as always, but more confident than Milla remembered, seemed unconcerned as he continued speaking to Maxwell. "We'll figure out a solution! Both Rieze Maxia and Elympios will live on together, you have my word." 

"Jude, optimism is all well and good, but-" began Rowen, but he was interrupted before he could complete the thought.

"So, Maxwell," declared King Gauis, walking up to them, with his usual commanding voice drawing everyone's attention. "You would step down from your rightful place as this world's god?"

"Gaius?" asked Milla. What was he doing here? Come to think of it, how had any humans at all been able to gain access to the Temporal Crossroads?

"Answer me, Maxwell!" demanded Gauis, facing Milla's alleged father. It was an important question, and Milla turned to await Maxwell's answer.

"I have grown weary of constantly being at the mercy of human hearts..." Maxwell sighed.

Gaius nodded. "If you wish to abdicate your throne as Rieze Maxia's god, then I shall sit upon it in your stead."

"A mere human to take my place? How absurd," replied Maxwell dismissively. "You are not worthy at all!"

"It is not a question of being worthy, but of being willing and able!" declared Gaius. "If you cannot fulfill your obligations, then I certainly will."

"Not so fast," objected Milla. "I'm afraid that's not going to work for me either. If Maxwell abdicates his throne, I will take his place."

"What?" asked Jude, looking startled.

"I don't need your approval," countered Gaius. "But... I admit you are just as worthy as I am. Your strength of will is my equal. You were such a convincing fake, that I have more respect for you than I do for this supposedly real god. Very well. We shall settle this in the traditional Auj Oule way – through battle. I challenge you to single combat for Maxwell's throne. If you claim to be more worthy, defeat me and prove it."

"Milla- " began Jude.

"I accept your terms. However, I will be allowed to use my full power, including drawing upon the Four. We will fight until one of us dies, is knocked unconscious, or yields," proposed Milla.

"Reckless as always..." muttered Sylph.

"Very well," agreed Gauis, settling the matter. "I suppose you are exhausted from your battle with Maxwell. You may have a few minutes to prepare yourself before we do battle. Or waste it catching up with your followers, I care not. Let me know when you are prepared to decide the fate of Rieze Maxia. " He sat down to meditate, presumably focusing his mind for the coming battle.

"But-" objected Maxwell, only to go silent after a glare from Milla. "Very well, I suppose I have no choice but to go along with this folly. I admit I am far too weakened to resist. I will abdicate my throne to whomever wins."


	3. Maxwell's Throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaius and Milla fight to decide who will sit upon the throne of Maxwell once he abdicates.

"Milla, are you certain about fighting Gaius alone?" asked Rowen, as Jude healed Milla's injuries from the earlier battle. "Even together, we only barely defeated him at Fezebel Marsh. It was more of a draw, to be honest."

"I will win," replied Milla Maxwell, voice dripping with such overwhelming confidence that her friends' protests were silenced. With the Four with her, she was back at her full strength – indeed far stronger than she had been before she lost them, as she'd been forced to grow her own strength in their absence.

After a moment, Leia spoke up. "We believe in you Milla! I don't care if you're the 'real' Maxwell. You've been leading us from the beginning! If anyone is worthy of the title, it's you!"

"You can do it!" Elize agreed, and Teepo spoke her inner thoughts on her behalf. "Beat him down, Milla!"

After a moment, Rowen nodded. "Very well, if you're certain. I must admit, I wasn't the most religious sort for most of my life. I lost too many people I cared about. But if anyone can fill the role of Reiza Maxia's god, I know it is you, Milla. Even if you weren't truly a god, you still spent your entire life fulfilling a god's duties to an exemplary degree. I believe in you."

Alvin sighed. "I don't think I could stop you if I tried. But please don't die again, I don't want this all to be a dream."

Efreet also spoke words of encouragement. "You have truly grown into a worthy fighter, Milla. Back when we dueled each other in Nia Khera, I was usually the victor. But now? I have no doubt you could defeat me with ease. I look forward to battling this man. We will not lose to him."

Sylph sighed. "I don't think this is a good idea, but you've always been a hothead just like Efreet, Milla. If you insist on this duel, I'll just have to make sure I don't let you lose." Sylph winked.

Jude looked conflicted. "You... Really are Maxwell, aren't you? Regardless of what that old man said about being a fake. I... I believe in you Milla. You are the real Maxwell and you can do it!" He really was growing up.

"Thank you all," she smiled, addressing all her friends. "I won't let you or Reiza Maxia down. I could never have gotten this far without all of your help. Especially you, Jude."

She ate an orange gel to recover her stamina as Jude finished healing her, then gave some last instructions to her friends. "Make sure to keep an eye on Maxwell, so he doesn't escape while we're distracted. I am not yet convinced his surrender is honest."

"I know this probably rings hollow coming from me, but for once, I won't let you down," promised Alvin. "I want the Schism dispelled more than anyone."

"I know," smiled Milla. Of course, she was not naive enough to trust him after so many betrayals, but she knew the rest of her friends would keep him in line. She then turned to face Gaius. "I am ready. Let us begin! Gaius!"

* * *

Gaius stode up and drew his blade, as Milla did the same. "Then let us decide who is most worthy to be the new Maxwell!" he declared.

Gaius moved with blinding speed to attack, too fast for the human eye to even percieve. But Milla was not human. Spirit shifting her Shining Prism arte into Radiant Rondo, she moved even faster, using the light arte to speed her movements, forcing Gaius to abandon his attack and parry her blade desperately.

Gaius grunted. "You truly have grown stronger..."

The fight went on for several minutes, blades and artes crashing against each other. Gaius truly was formidable with the blade, surpassing even Milla. While Alvin had declared Milla a master of the sword after only days of training, shocked at her rapid progress, fighting Gaius made clear that there was a further level of mastery beyond what Alvin could teach her. 

However, Milla was a master of sword, elemental artes, and summoning as well, and she took full advantage of that versatility. Swordplay required a certain ability to predict your opponent, especially at the absurd speeds they were fighting at – without such predictions, there was no way Gaius could react quickly enough. To his credit, he certainly excelled at such predictions, blocking or dodging most of Milla's attacks. But faced with Milla rapidly switching between spirit artes, sword techniques, her Elemental Mastery mystic arte, Efreet's flaming fists, Undine's blasts of water, Gnome's rocks, and Sylph's winds, Gaius was forced onto the defensive and simply could not predict her attacks well enough to reliably dodge or block them all. Soon minor injuries, and then serious injuries, began piling up on his body, while he only landed a few glancing blows on Milla.

Finally, King Gaius had grown so weak that Efreet's flaming fists sent him crashing to the ground, his sword fallen from his hands. Milla moved to strike the finishing blow. "I yield!" shouted Gaius, moments before Milla's sword would have punctured his heart. She stayed her hand.

"Jude, heal him," she instructed. His injuries were quite serious.

* * *

After some medical attention from Jude, Gaius was back on his feet. He turned to address Milla. "Very well. You have proven yourself more worthy than I to sit upon Maxwell's throne. However, I must still object to your plans. Dispelling the Schism would put my people in grave danger."

"What do you mean?" asked Jude. "Didn't Gilland say that the Schism was required for the Otherworld Reactor Project? And didn't you criticize Milla for the Schism earlier?"

"I admit, I was mistaken. I only condemned Maxwell for the Schism because I did not yet truly grasp the gravity of the threat we faced from Elympios – I would likely have done the same as Maxwell, in his shoes, to protect my people from monsters like Gilland. And you are still far too naive, Jude," replied Gaius. "Even if the Otherworld Reactor Project was designed to take advantage of the Schism, any military remotely worthy of the name would have backup plans. Most likely, if the Schism is lowered, the Elympion military will simply attempt to outright conquer Rieze Maxia instead, and modify the Otherworld Reactor Project to put us all in labs as batteries instead."

"Like what Gilland did in Fenmont," agreed Milla. 

"Professor Haus..." muttered Jude, clearly still traumatized by what had happened to his deceased professor. "But then what do we do? We can't simply abandon the people of Elympios to die!"

"They brought this fate upon themselves by using Spyrix," pointed out Milla, voice dripping with contempt for those who would massacre spirits. "They had two thousand years to change, and refused to stop murdering spirits as a power source. They even tried to do the same thing to the humans of Rieze Maxia."

The elder Maxwell nodded quietly in agreement, although everyone ignored him.

"She's right, you know," added Alvin. "It really is our own fault."

Jude looked aghast. "Are you saying you're just willing to let everyone in Elympios die? Isn't it your job to protect humans, too, Milla? Not just spirits? We can't just let them all die! This is Alvin's homeland we're talking about!"

Milla contemplated the words silently for a moment. 

"Why can't spirits and humans just live together in harmony?" sighed Leia.

"I love playing with humans, but if spyrix keep killing us, that's impossible," sighed Gnome.

"Those jerks..." muttered Leia. Milla remembered what Leia had told her in Sharilton – spyrix had ruined her childhood too. "I really don't like them. They ruined their whole world by being cruel to spirits, and then they have to go and try to ruin ours too!"

Finally, Milla replied, having formulated her thoughts. "It is wrong for everyone in Elympios to die. I refuse to let that happen – it is my duty to protect humanity. But Gaius is also right, Gilland's actions prove their government clearly isn't willing to just accept our help. And as Maxwell, I also have a duty to protect spirits from spyrix. It is quite a conundrum. Rowen, can you formulate a plan?"

Rowen furrowed his forehead in concentration for a few moments, but in the end shook his head. "I cannot. We cannot help the people of Elympios or eliminate spyrix without lowering the Schism, but if we lower the Schism they will invade and attempt to turn us all into a power source. We could of course simply take a gamble and hope we win the ensuing war, but even in the best-case scenario, countless people will die in such a large scale war. Have already died, in just the first wave of their invasion."

"The people of Elympios won't be eager to accept any 'help' getting rid of spyrix, either," pointed out Alvin. "Even if it's destroying our world, everyone in Elymios depends on spyrix. They won't easily give it up. With the mana dried up thanks to spyrix, we can't even grow crops without using spyrix. I know it's a self-destructive paradox, but we dug our own graves so deep, the only option left to us is to keep digging."

"What about the spyrite technology, like we saw with Celsius? Couldn't that solve our problem?" proposed Jude. "Milla, before you... Before you died... You said that the technology didn't kill spirits. If we could just replace spyrix with spyrite, wouldn't that solve everything?"

"They made that technology by hurting Teepo!" objected Elize. "And they used it to try and kill us!"

"That technology seemed to enslave Celsius, and ultimately killed Gilland," pointed out Rowen. "But perhaps with a few years of research, it would be possible to work out such severe issues. Still, we again face the fundamental problem that we cannot help Elympios with the Schism up."

"And we can't lower the Schism without a big war..." muttered Leia, sadly. "And I agree, we can't solve this problem by enslaving spirits. Milla is just as much a person as we are."

"What about the Lance of Kresnik? I hate that thing, but..." asked Elize. 

"Maybe we can blast a temporary hole in the Schism?" clarified Teepo.

"That abomination is powered by the life force of my subjects," objected King Gaius. "I will not permit its usage."

The other Maxwell chimed in. "Muzet destroyed it, after it sunk to the bottom of the ocean." Good. That meant Milla would not have to destroy it herself.

"We have to do something!" shouted a frustrated Jude. His naivety was coming face to face with cold hard reality.

They all contemplated the matter in silence for a moment. How could they solve this paradox? The only thing Milla could think of was somehow going to Elympios while the Schism was still intact, but that was impossible. Preventing travel and interaction between the two worlds was the whole point of the Schism.

"I don't mean to interrupt," spoke a familiar woman's voice. "But did someone summon me?"

They all turned to face the woman. Muzet?

"You finally answered my summons!" declared Maxwell, sounding impatient. "What took you, Muzet?"

Muzet looked at him in confusion. "Muzet? Who's that? Are you talking to me?"

So. Her reincarnation was complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my big problems with the way they rushed the ending of Xillia is how they switched Milla from wanting to wipe out all spyrix to suddenly being mostly OK with how it killed spirits for human benefit, a transition that occurred so fast it felt completely out of character. The story also glossed over the huge red flags posed by Gilland using a spyrite to enslave Celsius. I hope I manage to make the cast feel more in character in how they treat these subjects in this fanfiction.


	4. The Maxwell Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reincarnated Muzet meets everyone anew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, this chapter contains discussion of age gap.

"So that's what happened..." muttered Maxwell. Unsurprisingly, he grasped the situation immediately – Muzet's reincarnation had erased her memories.

Jude, however, was slower on the uptake. "What do you mean, who's that?"

That's right, Muzet had been his lover, bonded through direct tethering. Milla doubted he would take this well.

"I mean what I said, I am not aware of who this Muzet is..." clarified Muzet. "So you were the one who summoned me?" she asked, turning to Maxwell. "For what purpose?"

Maxwell sighed. "Muzet was your old name, before you reincarnated. I suppose it is too late now for why I originally summoned you. But you may still be of use. I have an answer to the conundrum you have all posed."

"You mean you're actually willing to help us? Even after we stabbed you in the back?" asked a shocked Sylph.

"I might as well stop you from bringing ruin upon everything I have built, if Milla is truly to succeed me as Maxwell," clarified the old spirit. "Muzet has the power to cut through space and time, allowing her to bypass the Schism entirely. Do with that power what you will."

"Hang on, how can she not even remember who she is?" asked Jude again, still shocked. "What is going on here?"

"I admit I am curious as well... I was only just born, and yet you all seem to know me," agreed Muzet.

There was no way to sugar coat it. She would just have to tell him and apologize. "I am sorry, Jude. I know she was your lover, but I had no choice. I killed Muzet. As I explained before, when a great spirit is reincarnated, they keep their powers, but lose their memories of their past life." Milla had only escaped that fate thanks to the Four's interference.

"You killed... Your own sister? Wait... My lover?" Jude clearly could not wrap his head around this. She'd read about this in a book before – denial was one of the first stages of human grief. Milla looked at him with sympathy, trying to think of a way to help.

"Wait, what's this about her being your lover?" asked Leia, voice brimming with thinly veiled jealousy.

"Jude, you dated Muzet?" asked Alvin, looking shocked. "Congrats! I guess you must have a thing for older women. But next time, maybe pick someone less insane."

"No, I never dated her! Why are you all saying that!?" replied a panicked looking Jude.

"You were my lover?" questioned Muzet, looking confused.

Milla shared her confusion. Why was Jude denying it now? He'd had no issues openly talking about how he'd engaged in direct tethering with Muzet earlier, back in Kandalar. Humans were so strange.

Undine silenced everyone with her calm, but commanding, voice. "Everyone, please calm down. I think I might be able to clear things up. Jude, did you engage in direct tethering with Muzet?"

"Yes...? I helped her restore her mana," confirmed Jude. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Perhaps I'm old-fashioned, but I still can't believe you'd do that with a girl the same day you met her..." muttered Milla. It had been incredibly rude to Leia. Although, she had to admit that as far as Milla knew, Leia had never actually confessed her feelings, for some reason... Humans could be so complicated.

"Wait, what?" asked Jude, looking flabbergasted.

"Please, Milla, this isn't helping!" chided Undine. "I think this is a simple cultural misunderstanding. Jude, among spirits, direct tethering is a special kind of tethering, a more intimate way of sharing our mana, different from how we tether with Milla. Spirits normally only do so with our lovers, and this intimate mana mixing can even be used to produce new spirits. I recall Milla reading books about a human practice called sex - I believe direct tethering is the spirit equivalent."

Jude blushed crimson, and was rendered speechless. Leia didn't look much better. It seemed they hadn't known? Milla still had much to learn about humans, even now.

Alvin put his face in his palm. "Should we really be having this conversation in front of a child?"

Elize indeed looked very confused. "I don't understand..." Teepo, voicing her subconscious thoughts, yelled, "Hey! Stop treating Elize like a kid! She knows all about bazoongas!"

"TEEPO!" yelled Elize, also blushing crimson. Why was she so embarrassed?

"You'll understand direct tethering when you're older," quipped Alvin. "Don't we have more important matters to discuss?" He was right, the conversation had gone completely off topic. 

"Yes. More importantly, why did you kill me?" Muzet asked, turning to Milla, looking wary.

King Gaius was looking incredibly frustrated. "This not a social gathering! I do not have time for this romantic and family drama when my people are in danger. We should adjourn this strategy meeting until Milla catches her amnesiac sister up, and all the teenagers calm down."

"I agree, we are getting nowhere," nodded Rowen.

"Yes, we will adjourn while I catch Muzet up," concluded Milla, agreeing.

"Allow me to assist..." added Maxwell.

They adjourned, with the Maxwell family breaking off from the rest of the group.

* * *

"So... To summarize, I, the Great Spirit of Dimensions, was created to protect something called the Schism, a wall between two worlds, Elympios and Rieze Maxia. As part of those duties, you ordered me to kill Milla, and she killed me in self defense? And she is my sister, and you are our father?" asked Muzet, having been caught up to speed. "Why... Why did you order me to kill my own sister?"

Maxwell sighed. "More precisely, I ordered you to kill anyone outside of you and myself who knew about the Schism. Milla just happened to be on the list. In retrospect, that was perhaps too broad of an order."

"Perhaps?" replied Milla, scornfully. "Almost every last human being in Rieze Maxia knows about the Schism now! If I had not put an end Muzet's rampage, she would have waged a war of extermination on all humanity, in the name of Maxwell. How can you call yourself Maxwell while giving such an order? You lack the qualities needed to hold that title."

"The longer this conversation continues, the more I must admit that it is indeed time for me to retire..." sighed Maxwell. "I suppose I owe you both an apology. And an explanation."

"Explanation?" replied Milla, voice dripping with contempt. "I have heard enough of your lies. I know who I am. I am Maxwell, Lord of Spirits, charged with the duty of protecting this world, and I have been for the last two thousand years. You are an imposer who insults the very name of Maxwell with your actions." Perhaps all her memories beyond the last twenty years had been inherited, but they still felt like her memories, now that her amnesia was gone.

"I, at least, would like an explanation," disagreed Muzet.

"Very well," conceded Milla.

Maxwell gathered his thoughts briefly, then began. "Twenty years ago, the people of Elympios created a prototype weapon known as the Lance of Kresnik, an abomination fueled by human and spirit lives. To add insult to injury, they even dared name after one of my old lovers, the Genesis Sage, a human named Milla Kresnik. They used it to pierce a small hole in the Schism, allowing a group they called Exodus to infiltrate Rieza Maxia."

Milla Kresnik? Milla Maxwell vaguely remembered having a human lover named Kresnik, the Genesis Sage, thousands of years ago, but not that her first name was Milla. Maxwell must have witheld that information when passing on his memories. Maxwell continued. "They imported a technology known as spyrix to Rieze Maxia, which murders spirits in order to create artes, breaking the harmonious balance between spirits and humans that defined Rieze Maxia. The whole reason I created the Schism in the first place was to protect us from spyrix. Even their limited usage caused countless deaths, and I knew I had to act before they could destroy everything I had built. However, they soon went into hiding, and I could not risk dealing with them personally, lest they kill me and in doing so destroy the Schism."

"So, instead of acting myself, I knew I would need to send someone else in my stead. I still had some of Milla Kresnik's mana left from millenia ago, when we had frequently direct tethered with each other. I mixed that mana with my own to create the two of you. Milla, named after your mother, a human-spirit hybrid who inherited a fragment of the power of Maxwell and some of my memories, with a human vessel forged in the Crucible of Elements. And Muzet, a new Great Spirit of Dimensions and the guardian of the Schism. Milla's duty was to be a highly convincing fake Maxwell who would lure out Exodus as bait, protected by the Four Great Spirits to reinforce the lie. Muzet, as a Great Spirit of Dimensions, would be able to strike anywhere to root out this new threat to the Schism. She could even attack their operations in Elympios, starting with destroying the prototype Lance of Kresnik that allowed the first invasion."

"I see..." muttered Muzet. "I can tell things did not go according to plan. What went wrong?"

"I can explain that much..." interrupted Milla. "You abandoned the both of us, Maxwell. Abandoned your responsibilities as a parent."

In her twenty years on the mortal plane, Maxwell had only contacted Milla once. It had been a brief message after the catastrophic breach in the Schism at Fezebel Marsh was created by the second Lance of Kresnik, reminding Milla of her duty and urging her not to die. At first Milla had just assumed it was a normal dream, the first in her life - in retrospect that had been foolish of her, as spirits did not have dreams. Milla suspected Muzet had fared little better.

Maxwell sighed, sounding exhausted. "Perhaps you are right. I know little of parenting. I viewed you both as nothing but means to an end, and assumed you would be fine with just doing your duty. The humans corrupted you, but even so, perhaps your betrayal is my own fault, Milla. Why would you show me loyalty when I am a stranger to you? And Muzet's... overzealousness... was likely borne of a desperate desire to earn my love, love I never gave. I suppose I have no right to call either of you my children. I apologize. But it no longer matters. The Schism will soon be dispelled, and with my death Milla will replace me as the true Maxwell. You are relieved of your duties to me, Muzet."

As she had suspected, this explanation changed nothing. Milla still felt nothing but contempt for her so-called father. He was nothing but a fake, one who had abandoned his duties as both Maxwell and as a father. And duty was everything to Maxwell. He was like a dark shadow of herself, an embodiment of everything she must never become.

Muzet, on the other hand, looked distraught. "Then... what is my purpose? If I was created to serve you in protecting the Schism, then what am I to do once you die and dispel the Schism? My life will have no meaning! I was only just born, you can't abandon me like this! Why do I even exist?" By the last few words, she was practically screaming.

Milla turned to her. It had been her who killed Muzet – it was thus her responsibility to help her. "I know you do not remember, but I am sorry that I had to kill you." She reached out her hand, in what she hoped was a welcoming manner. "If you would be willing to accept me as your sister, I promise I won't abandon you like he did. We can make a fresh start, together. But it is your choice. As for your purpose, only you can decide that. But until you decide, perhaps you could help us save Rieze Maxia from spyrix?"

Muzet hesitated. "Give me a moment to think about this?"

Milla waited patiently. Minutes passed in silence. Finally, Muzet reached out, and took her hand. "I may not remember, but it sounds horrible that we would be forced to kill each other. And... Protecting our people from these spyrix would indeed give my life meaning," she smiled. "Let us try again... Sister."

Milla smiled back. "I should probably also fill you in on the details of recent events..." proceeding to explain the chain of events surrounding the second Lance of Kresnik, and their current mission to save both Rieze Maxia and Elympios.

* * *

After catching Muzet up, Milla introduced her to the Four.

"I'm Gnome, nice to meet you again! I would love to play sometime!" smiled a cheerful gnome, as they bounced into Muzet's arms.

"My, aren't you adorable..." Muzet smiled, enraptured by Gnome's cuteness.

"Good to have you on our side!" declared Sylph. "Fighting you was terrifying... I mean, terrifying for everyone but me, that is."

"Now, now, Sylph, that's no way to greet a new member of our family," smiled Undine. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Muzet."

"I look forwards to fighting alongside you against spyrix," declared Efreet.

"Yes, we must protect all spirits from this threat," agreed Muzet. "It is my mission."

* * *

"Can we please get back on task now?" asked a frustrated Gaius. They had all reassembled. After everyone nodded, he continued, "It seems you are the solution to our problems, Muzet."

"Yes," confirmed Muzet. "I can bring you with me to this Elympios. Or anywhere else in either world you desire to go, for that matter. So long as I only have to bring such a small number of you, it won't even require much mana."

"In that case, our first order of business is reconnaisance," declared Rowen. "Most of the information we have on Elympios is from Alvin, and it is years out of date. In order to safely lower the Schism, we need to figure out a way to both neutralize the threat of the Otherworld Reactor Project, and convince them to begin abandoning spyrix."

"And to help the people living there," reminded Jude, drawing an irritated glance from King Gaius.

"Yes, that as well," agreed Rowen. "It is a difficult set of goals, and we need more information. Alvin, can you think of a safehouse in Elympios we can use?"

"My cousin Balan might be willing to take us in," noted Alvin. "I should warn you, though, that I haven't seen him in twenty years – I was just a kid back then. But even if we have a safe base, Muzet and Milla will stick out. Both of you are obviously not human."

"As I once told you, it would take another twenty years to grow myself a new human body to adulthood," noted Milla, shaking her head. Dying had been most inconvenient. 

"Can you not simply adjust your spirit form to look more like your human form?" suggested Undine. "There are limits to what we can change, but a spirit's form is more malleable than a human's." The latter explanation was, of course, directed at the humans, for their benefit.

"A good idea," Milla nodded. She concentrated, imagining her former human appearance clearly in her mind. She felt her body _shift_ , and looked herself over – she looked passably human again, and her clothing had changed back to her preferred crop top and miniskirt.

"Hey, let me fix up your hair..." Sylph said. His winds carefully worked through her hair, until her hairstyle was back in its usual form.

"Thank you, Sylph," Milla smiled. It felt good to have Sylph do her hair again. She had missed the Four so much.

"Wow," voiced Teepo. Elize, Jude, and Leia all looked awestruck at her sudden transformation.

"I hate to break it to you, but Muzet's wings are an even bigger problem," pointed out Alvin, who took the transformation in stride. "Can you hide those too?"

Muzet shook her head. "No, that will not be possible. However, as the Great Spirit of Dimensions, I can simply assume my pure elemental form as the concept of dimensions, and humans will be unable to percieve me."

Jude titled his head. "Like how I couldn't see the Four when Milla wasn't actively using you all, back in Fenmont."

"Yes, it is the same principle," confirmed Milla. "I am unable to do so, as I am not the embodiment of a specific element."

That issue was resolved, but there was another one facing the group's spirits. "Another problem we face is mana," Milla pointed out.

Undine went into lecture mode, explaining the problem to the humans. "Spirits need mana to survive, especially outside the Spirit World. That was one of the reasons Milla had a human vessel, so she could utilize the vessel's mana lobes, and we could then borrow from her. But that vessel is now dead. In Rieze Maxia this would only be a mild inconvenience, as mana is plentiful there, but Elympios has a severe mana and spirit shortage."

"If we aren't careful, the spyrix will drain and kill us all," warned Sylph.

"If I tether with Jude, Leia, Rowen, and Elize, all of you together should provide enough mana for myself and the Four," proposed Milla. "I suspect being tethered to a human should also make it more difficult for spyrix to steal our mana."

"Sure," nodded Jude, though he seemed a bit embarrassed. Hopefully he understood that regular tethering was not the same as direct tethering. At some point she would need to talk to him about his crush on her, and make it clear Milla did not share his romantic feelings – but she could tell it was a delicate topic, and human emotions were not Milla's strong suit. She was unsure how to broach the subject.

"Works for me, Milla!" agreed Leia.

"OK!" consented Elize, with Teepo adding, "I can't believe I'm going to be tethered to a goddess!"

"I am honored to help," agreed Rowen.

"And myself?" asked Muzet.

"I am coming with you," declared Gaius. "I do not care about Elympios's survival, but I will aid you in stopping the Otherworld Reactor Project. I will tether with Muzet, if you have no objection, Muzet."

"That is acceptable," nodded Muzet.

"Then we have a plan," declared Milla. "With Muzet's help, we will go to meet Alvin's cousin Balan, and with his help find out more about Elympios." She turned to Maxwell. "Your replacement will have to wait. We still need the Schism, for now. I will formally replace you as Maxwell once this crisis is resolved." 

Milla hated to leave that imposter in place for any longer, but she had to keep her personal feelings in check – her duty took priority. If she inherited the full power of Maxwell now, it would take far too much mana to sustain herself in the human world. Worse, the Schism would likely not survive the transfer of power.

"Very well," nodded Maxwell. "It would indeed be easiest to combine the succession and dispelling the Schism into one task. And... Your task seems impossible, but I wish you luck achieving what I could not."

"We do not need your luck, Maxwell. We will save Rieze Maxia and Elympios through our own strength!" declared Milla.

Jude was similarly confident. "That's right! There's no way we're giving up. I refuse to believe we have to sacrifice another world to save our own!"

"Should we return to Rieze Maxia to rest? It's been a long day," suggested Leia.

Milla shook her head. "My death wasted enough time already. We need to find out more about Elympios urgently. We can rest once we reach Balan's home."

"I concur," agreed King Gaius. They quickly established the appropriate human-spirit tethers. Then, following Muzet's instructions, Gaius pulled a sword out of her chest. "To Elympios!" he declared, cleaving a portal through space with a swing of Muzet's sword. They all entered the portal, stepping into the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be clear, I'm ignoring the canon twist that Milla was just a normal human at the start of the game. I felt that twist created way too many plot holes, while adding nothing to her character, given that she was already pure spirit by the point it was revealed. (if she was a normal human, why did Milla never dream even once in her entire life? Why could she sense spirits dying? Why could she cast spirit artes by instinct, without a contract? And so forth) Milla's explanation earlier in the game, in which she told the party she was a spirit with a human vessel, avoids all these plot holes, so I'm just going to run with that.


	5. A Vast Wasteland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Milla and her companions enter Elympios, and catch each other up on what happened while they were split up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, this chapter contains discussion of age gap.

"Is this what all of Elympios looks like? It's horrifying..." exclaimed Leia, surveying the vast wasteland around them. There was barely any grass, plants, or animals, and only a few very sickly trees.

"I miss home already..." muttered Elize.

"To have destroyed the natural order of things in such a profound way... It is unforgivable," declared Efreet.

"Almost all the spirits are dead..." said Gnome, sounding depressed. 

Milla could feel the severe lack of mana in the air. It was not a pleasant sensation. She was glad she was tethered to four humans with mana lobes. Casting out her spirit senses, she confirmed what Gnome had said – few spirits had survived. It seemed the vast majority of the survivors were those spirits with short lifespans and fast reproductive cycles, similar to what she'd read in books about Rieze Maxia's insects. But those few spirits alone could not sustain nature.

"This is Elympios, all right. Looks even worse than when I left," sighed Alvin. "At this rate, I'm not sure Elympios will survive another decade."

"So this is what those monsters intended to inflict on Rieze Maxia. How dare they! I do not understand why you would show sympathy for these people, Maxwell," declared Gaius. "They deserve the doom they've inflicted upon themselves."

"It's the difference between a King and a God," explained Milla. "Your responsibility is only to your subjects. Mine is to all humans and spirits, not just the adorable ones. Not everyone living here is a member of Exodus. I must save them from themselves."

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself, sister," pointed out Muzet.

She could not deny Muzet's words - a large part of her agreed with Gaius. But she could not simply allow half the world to die, even if it was their own fault. It was her duty to protect all humanity.

Rowen attempted to cast a simple wind arte, only for it to fail. "This raises a problem... With almost all the spirits dead, we won't be able to use many of our artes reliably."

A good point. Milla turned to the Four, whom she'd reserved for her exclusive use twenty years ago. "Gnome, Sylph, Undine, Efreet. Please grant them permission to call upon your powers too." She turned back to the party. "In addition, you can call upon myself, and if she has no objection, Muzet. Between the six of us, that should cover all the elements."

"That will be fine," nodded Muzet.

Rowen tried again, this time directly invoking Sylph – the arte succeeded, sending out a lance of wind. If anything, it was slightly more powerful than normal, having drawn directly upon a Great Spirit. "Yes, that works better."

"Alvin, lead us to Balan," Milla ordered.

Alvin nodded. "He lives in the city of Trigleph. Or at least, he did, hopefully he's still there. Thankfully it looks like Muzet got us close. Should be less than a day's walk across the wasteland," he said, taking the lead.

* * *

It was a long walk, and they had plenty of time to talk, causing them to break into smaller social groups as they proceeded. Milla approached Jude.

"Is it really you?" muttered Jude, eyes still disbelieving.

"Do I look like someone else?" she replied.

"No... You're Milla, all right," smiled Jude.

"And yourself? You seem different from last I saw you," she asked. What had happened to Jude while she was away?

"Really?" asked Jude.

"A little bit. Looks like you grew up without me. You even argued against me about Elympios!" she said, smiling. She was glad he'd learned to think for himself, rather than just following her around. He'd been so dependent on her, a small part of her had worried he'd simply collapse into depression when she died. She was glad that he'd been fine without her.

"Could be. It doesn't change who I am, though," he said, and they both chuckled. "It's good to see you again."

"Same to you," smiled Milla.

"But... About that conversation we had, on the airship. We never finished it," pointed out Jude. "That part about you lying. Did that have something to do with... the other Maxwell?"

Milla nodded. "In a sense. At the time, I was plagued with doubt. I had noticed holes in my memories, specifically that everything from my life before the Schism was missing. A mysterious voice that sounded vaguely like my own had spoken to me in a dream. Worse, I was beginning to question my very mission, my whole purpose for existing. I started to worry I wasn't really Maxwell... But I couldn't bring myself to talk about it with any of you humans. I believed I had to maintain a facade of invincibility so you all could rely on me, even if inside I was full of doubt. I used Agria's interruption as an excuse not to finish the conversation... I am sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about it," assured Jude. "I can't imagine what realizing your life was a lie must have felt like. That you were just being used by that horrible excuse for a father..."

Milla shook her head. "No, I don't feel that way anymore," she smiled. "I realized what was really bothering me, on the Zenethra, right before I died. I once told you that there was only one thing I feared – abandoning my duty as this world's god. But my time among humans changed me. I realized after being reunited with the Four, feeling how good it was to see them again – when Efreet asked me what Maxwell had to fear, I knew. I had another fear, a very human fear. The fear of loss. To Maxwell, all lives should be equal, and death a natural part of the cycle of life, not something to be feared. But I had come to fear losing my friends and family."

"Of loss..." muttered Jude. "Like how I felt when you died. So you died so we could survive?"

"Yes," continued Milla. " I couldn't bring myself to sacrifice all your lives for my own sake."

"Did you know you'd come back?" asked Jude.

Milla shook her head. "No. There was a risk of turning into a spirit fossil if I let the Lance absorb too much of my mana and life force, but I was careful to avoid that. Outside of that, I knew I would probably live on in some sense, unless my memories on reincarnation were also a lie, but I didn't expect my memories to survive. So, it wouldn't have truly been me anymore. The Four saved me from that fate."

"They really are like your family," smiled Jude.

"Yes," agreed Milla. "They are. I must thank you humans for helping me realize that. There was a time I viewed them only as my vassals."

"But if you were so full of doubt, how can you now be fine with finding out your whole life was a lie?" asked Jude.

"What part of do you think was a lie?" asked Milla.

"What part..." Jude did not seem to understand "Everything? Your memories, your mission, your title, your godhood... That other Maxwell said it was all a lie."

How to explain this to Jude? Perhaps she should use rhetorical questions? It was a technique she'd seen in books that she'd always wanted to try out. "Am I not served by the Four Great Spirits?" 

"Well, you are... They even fought the other Maxwell for you."

"Am I not worshiped as a god by the people of Nia Khera, and by people throughout Rieze Maxia?"

"Well, you are..."

"Have I not spent my entire life protecting Rieze Maxia''s people, human and spirits alike?"

"Well, you have.. I think I understand," nodded Jude. "It doesn't matter if it started as a lie. For you, it became the truth. And you decided that of your own will."

"Yes," agreed Milla, tone decisive. "You said it yourself earlier. I am Maxwell."

"And Muzet? You... Had to to kill your own sister, doesn't that bother you?" asked Jude.

"Of course not. It was the only way to stop her campaign of mass murder. Killing her was my duty. That is what I'd like to say... But the truth is, I am conflicted on the matter," she reluctantly admitted, face pensive. "In a way, Muzet was my own dark shadow. If I had not had the Four to support me, I could have turned out like her, driven mad by loneliness. That's why I want to be there for what's left of her. But don't worry, I will not let such regrets interfere with my mission. "

"You're such a strong person, Milla. I wish I could be like you, even if I know that's impossible..." sighed Jude.

"You may be a human, but that doesn't mean you can't be strong. Just look at Gaius. And you are already strong – you chose to exert your own will, even if it meant fighting a god," she reassured him.

Jude smiled, but shook his head. "If you hadn't saved us, I would have led us all to our deaths."

"Do you think I could have beaten Maxwell without you all being there? I was reckless as always, and on the path to dying again. We saved each other," she smiled, and hugged him.

Jude blushed. Oh, yes. "There is another thing we need to discuss..." she began, as she broke off the hug.

"Yes?" asked Jude.

"I am still bad at understanding human emotions, so forgive me if I am mistaken. But do you have sexual feelings for me?"

Jude blushed crimson yet again. "W-What??? Um... What gave you that impression?"

"Am I mistaken?" asked Milla.

Jude was at a loss for words at first, but managed to compose himself. "It's true. I had a crush on you from the moment we met... But I can tell you don't feel the same way about me. You just view me as a child."

Milla hesitated a moment, trying to think of a way to put this gently. She failed. "That is correct. It would be irresponsible of me to direct tether with a human as young as you."

Jude nodded. "I understand." He really had matured, to take such a blunt rejection in stride like that.

"What's the spirit world like?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Surprisingly similar to your own," explained Milla, smiling. "The spirit world is in a sense layered onto the human world. Even the buildings are the same. But... There's a beauty to it that the human world lacks. Everything looks prettier, more colorful." She continued, describing her recent adventures for Jude.

* * *

As they stopped for dinner and began to get out food, Teepo suddenly tackled her. She tried to shake him off, but was promptly buried under hugs by Leia, Elize, Teepo, and eventually Rowen. Gnome and Undine promptly manifested and joined the group hug as well. "Fine! I surrender. I'm sorry for what I put you all through. That includes you, Alvin," she said, noticing he was once again acting standoffish, glancing nervously at Leia specifically. 

"Ah... I... That's really not necessary," replied Alvin. "I'll keep watch," he said, wandering off to sit at the fringes of the group.

After escaping the hug pile, she sat down to eat with Elize and Rowen. Gnome adjusted the wasteland's ground for them, so they would all be comfortable despite the miserable terrain, then settled in Milla's lap. Milla asked the question that had been troubling her, as they began eating. "Did Leia have a fight with Alvin?"

"Why do you ask?" replied Rowen, between bites of his meal.

"Intuition," replied Milla.

"Your intuition is on the mark as ever," confirmed Rowen, in a solemn tone. "I only heard about it after the fact, though."

"Alvin tried to kill Jude, and he even shot Leia!" explained Elize, sounding outraged at his latest betrayal. Milla was not surprised - at this point she would have been more surprised if Alvin had not betrayed them again while she was gone.

"It didn't seem to be one of his typical betrayals," continued Rowen. "It was his actions that led to your apparent death. That must have been quite a shock to him..."

"That was probably true for Ivar, too..." muttered Elize.

"They fought with Ivar too?" Milla said, this latest news actually surprising her.

"We all did! He ran like a frightened bunny!" declared Teepo, proudly. "We finished off Presa and Agria too!" Elize could be surprisingly bloodthirsty for her age, sometimes.

"Though that, too, was a painful conclusion for Alvin and Leia," added Rowen, more solemnly.

"I see... Now I understand why everyone's changed so much," muttered Milla. 

"Why did you all have to start killing each other as soon as Milla was gone? Humans..." muttered Sylph.

No wonder Gaius had seemed so hostile when they'd first met again, if her friends had killed Presa and Agria. Gaius was not the sort to let such personal grudges get in the way of his mission, any more than Milla was. However, that did not mean he'd easily forget the deaths of his trusted subordinates, either.

As for Ivar... In a way, that man was also like family to her. For now, however, it was best to just stay away from him, let he sabotage their plans even further. Even he could not follow them into Elympios without Muzet. She wished he'd just followed his orders and protected Nia Khera; because of his disobedience, everything had spiraled wildly out of control. 

She'd also underestimated just how much her friends and allies had depended on her, for them to start killing each other so quickly after she was gone... Though it seemed that they'd been strong enough to overcome the resulting adversity, at least. Humans could be quite resilient creatures when they needed to be. They really were her favorite animals, through and through.

"Milla, a question," asked Rowen, interrupting Milla's thoughts. He suddenly looked confused, and glanced at Muzet, and at Gnome.

"Yes?" asked Milla.

"Why are you eating? You no longer have a human vessel," noted Rowen. "I see Muzet isn't eating anything, nor are the Four."

Milla laughed lightly. "You humans have rubbed off on me. I quite enjoy eating."

* * *

After dinner, Milla took the lead.

"Hey, do you know where you're going?" asked Alvin.

"This is the wrong direction?" queried Milla, voice deadpan.

"Well, it's right, but how do you know the way?" he asked.

"The screams of thousands of spirits dying is easy for me to follow," she explained bluntly. She'd heard the screams of spirits dying to spyrix countless times before, but never in such numbers, concentrated in such a small area. The closer they got, the worse it had gotten, until Alvin's guidance became unnecessary. Even the Lance of Kresnik did not kill this many spirits, not on its own.

"It's horrible..." muttered Gnome. "How could any humans be this cruel?"

"Milla... Are you OK?" asked Leia, looking worried.

She hesitated. Should she lie, projecting an image of strength for her friends, as she had in the past? No, she decided. They'd proven they could stand on their own feet, even without her leadership. "No, I am not," she replied, honestly. "But we must continue regardless." It was up to her to end this.

Muzet nodded in agreement. "Yes, sister. I now truly understand what you are fighting for. If we do not stop them, all our kind will perish."


End file.
